Figuring It Out
by starry-nights88
Summary: Prompt: "Does songwriting come easy to you?"


The page was filled with his hasty scrawl, some words completely illegible while others were strung together to make sentences—lone lyrics to a song that hadn't come to fruition yet. He murmured the words under his breath while strumming his guitar, pausing every now and again to scribble down some correction or addition.

He played, so engrossed by the process that he missed the soft knock at his door. He didn't see nor notice the door open. He sang softly, unaware of his one-man audience as his fingers plucked the guitar strings; one note after another until he played cord after cord.

"Is that it?"

Simon jumped, clearly not expecting anyone else to be in the room with him, and looked up from his notebook. "Is what it?" He asked, flustered and confused as Jace leaned against the back of Simon's bedroom door. "How'd you get in here?"

Jace stared at him for a long moment—so long that Simon began to feel slightly annoyed with the older teen, but that might've been because Jace was using his 'God, you're an idiot' look—before finally answering, "I climbed through the window."

The statement was drenched in sarcasm. And Simon rolled his eyes in response before repositioning the guitar in his lap, playing a quick cord as he looked up at Jace. "There's that sunny disposition I've been missing!" Simon said cheerfully, sarcasm evident in his voice as well.

"That's the only thing you've been missing?" Jace asked, eyebrow arched as he folded his arms over his chest. "I'm offended."

Simon snorted softly at that, a small grin on his face as he shifted again. "You should be," he said as he lifted his guitar and made to set it against the bed on the floor, but Jace had crossed the room and stopped Simon before he could.

Jace's hand was heavy on his arm—a comforting, yet odd weight that Simon wasn't entirely used to feeling quite yet. He frowned slightly, looking at Jace. "What?" Simon asked in confusion.

"Play for me?" Jace asked softly as his hand moved, leaving Simon's arm as Jace sank to the floor. He leaned against the mattress, his head resting against the top and his gaze resting on Simon. "The song, I mean. I'd like to hear it."

Simon looked from his guitar to Jace. "Really?" Simon asked, surprised.

Jace's lips curled into a grin as he shrugged, his arms pillowing his head. "I mean, you sound almost as bad as those cats in the alley…" he began, stopping to laugh at the look on Simon's face.

"Then why do you want to hear it?" Simon snapped, glaring at Jace.

"Down kitty," Jace teased, chuckling softly for a moment before sobering. "What I heard sounded good. I just want to hear the rest. So, c'mon, let's hear it."

"I don't—" Simon started with a small frown, but was quickly interrupted when it became evident to Jace that he wasn't going to get the answer he wanted.

"Unless you're scared," Jace suggested with a smirk.

Simon's frown deepened at that. He wasn't scared and he wouldn't allow Jace to think or even _assume_ that. Simon shifted on his bed, cradling the body of his guitar against his chest as his fingers pressed against the cords on its neck.

"I'm not scared," he stated plainly before he started to tap on the body of his guitar with the palm of his hand—counting himself in. Simon glanced at Jace, a quick glance before Simon started to play and, for a moment, he simply strummed his guitar. A few counts later, he was singing.

As he sang, he noticed that Jace was actually listening to him, paying attention even though Jace's eyes were closed. His fingers tapped out the beat against his arm and Simon thought—but, he couldn't be sure—he could hear Jace humming along under his breath.

Simon had expected Jace to, well, Simon wasn't completely sure how he expected Jace to react—but, this wasn't it. Simon had thought Jace would laugh at him and tease him, because that's what Jace did. He was listening, though. Really listening and it was a surprise. A nice surprise.

Simon was done a few moments later, his song coming to a choppy, abrupt end because he hadn't quite figured out the ending. He leaned against his guitar, the edge digging into his leg as he watched Jace for a moment before speaking—calling the other teenager's attention to him, "That's all I have so far."

Once again, Simon wasn't sure what he was expecting as he waited for Jace to speak—unsure of what he wanted Jace to say, but Simon was sure he wanted Jace to say _something_. But, instead, Jace simply stared at him with a carefully blank expression.

"Well," said Simon as he shifted in an uncomfortable fashion, looking away from the blond haired man. "This is awkward."

Jace snorted in laughter at that, his face breaking out into a grin as Simon's gaze darted back to Jace. "What?" He asked, turning to look at Simon. "Did you expect me to criticize you? Because, you know, I still can."

Simon rolled his eyes, dramatically, as he set his guitar aside. "I was expecting _something_," he replied, frowning as he pulled his knees to his chest and rested his chin on top of them, glancing at Jace. "But, I'll pass on the criticism, thanks."

Jace looked away, leaning against the edge of the bed again and he was quiet for a few moments. "Does it come easy to you?" He asked, breaking the short-lived silence as he stared at the wall across the way.

"Does what?"

"Song writing—does it come easy to you?" Jace asked again, glancing at Simon before looking away again. "Because it sounds like it does."

At first, Simon was stunned to silence, because he was pretty sure that Jace just gave him a compliment, and that was something Jace didn't normally do. Then, after a moment, the question sank in and Simon found himself shrugging in reply.

He turned his head, looking at Jace for a short moment. "I wouldn't say so," Simon answered with a small, thoughtful frown. "I don't normally write, but when inspiration hits—it hits hard and I just have to write."

Jace cocked an eyebrow as he shifted to face Simon, looking at the other teen with amusement clearly written on Jace's face. "What inspired you to write _that_?"

Simon laughed at the teasing tone of Jace's voice, shrugging as Simon stretched his legs out across his bed. "You know, I'll let you know when I figure it out myself."

Jace let out a soft chuckle as he leaned over, reaching for the guitar. He grinned as he leaned back against the bed again, cradling Simon's guitar against his chest before he brushed his fingers over the chords, playing a jumble of mismatched notes, before he looked at Simon expectedly.

Simon bit back a laugh, masking the sound with a cough as he arched an eyebrow much in the same fashion as Jace had earlier. "What inspired _that_?" He asked, his voice light and teasing as he watched Jace chuckle and hold the guitar against his chest, no longer playing it, but fingering the chords.

Jace glanced over his shoulder at Simon, smirking. "I'll let you know when I figure it out."


End file.
